Anti-smoking legislation in Finland

The act which outlined measures for restricting tobacco smoking in Finland took effect on 1 March 1977. This act is presented and its background described. The main regulations provided by the law are: 1) Health authorities administer all tobacco regulation, except taxation; 2) 5% of tobacco taxes are alloted annually to health education research and evaluation; 3) advertising and promotion of tobacco are prohibited; 4) limits on tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide are set by the government; these must be met for a permit to be granted; 5) tobacco products are quality controlled; 6) cigarette packets must bear health warnings; 7) no tobacco products may be sold to persons under sixteen years; 8) they may be sold only from supervised dispensing machines; 9) smoking is prohibited in all public areas, including transport; 10) the Board of Health administers nation-wide education measures. With regard to the latter regulation, some past and projected programmes are described. Initial results of the campaign were limited; further support from taxation and a pricing policy is necessary.